


Dead Magic

by KingKotes



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Angst, Death, Jack is having a hard time, M/M, Necromancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:52:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9854729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingKotes/pseuds/KingKotes
Summary: Chase is dead, Jack is the new Heylin Lord, and he's not having a good time. Between frantically trying to track Chase's killer, dealing with the priorities of his high status, and trying to wrangle his new scaled self, it's a rough ride. Magic isn't as easy to deal with as he thought, but it does have it's perks, like the possibility of resurrecting a certain dragon. Black magic is dangerous and hard to come by, but Jack is willing to do almost anything to bring Chase back.Even if it means ending the world.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i'm posting this bc my friend rly wanted me to aaa?? i'm not sure how i feel about it honestly....  
> this chapter may be rewritten sometime in the future but for now yall can have it !  
> my tumblr is @ spicercore!

It wasn't a secret that Chase had many people in his life that wanted him dead. His power and status were icons of high desire among the rising Heylins. He lay now, blinking at the sky and the frantic gold and black shapes darting around him. His warriors paced in useless circles, unsure of what to do and unable to help as the warlord lay still, dying. 

He never thought anyone would succeed at killing him, of course. He hadn't seen the blow coming. He hadn't seen the matte black barrel nor the hot metal tearing through his chest. Rolling his eyes at himself, he knew he was a fool for thinking himself infallible. He let his eyes flit closed, ignoring the frantic screeches of his warriors and the rough nips to his arms. There was nothing they could do, except let him die. He'd let his cockiness get the better of him, it was his own fault. He wasn't happy about it, of course, but he was glad he wouldn't have to worry about it for long. 

Perhaps in whatever was next, he could find Dashi again. He'd missed the fights they used to have. 

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v 

Jack hit the ground running, unable to breathe and tripping over his feet. Cats moved aside as he rushed to the fallen Heylin, dropping to his knees. “Chase,” he touched the warlord's face, eyes darting over the holes in his chest and the pool of blood beneath him. He scooped Chase up, pulling him up into his lap. “Chase, open your eyes.” 

Golden eyes flickered open, hazy with pain. “What are you doing here, Spicer?” 

Jack sucked in a shaky breath. “One of your cats sent me a message. Right on my computer screen, said you needed help but I didn't- I didn't expect-” He swallowed a sob, resting his fingers on the ripped holes in Chase's armor. “You can heal, right? You've done it before, I've seen you do it.” 

Chase shook his head. “Heylin magic can't fix everything.” 

“No, no, no. There's- there's gotta be something. Maybe the monks can help, Master Fung-” 

“There is nothing they can do, either.” 

“A hospital, then. People recover from gunshots all the time, they can help you, you can live.” 

Sighing, Chase gave him a soft, sorrowful look. “My anatomy is too different, and modern medicine wouldn't work on me. The most they could do is pull the remaining bullets out and hope for the best.” 

“No, Chase, please.” Jack pulled him in tighter, cradling Chase against his chest. “You can't, you have so much. Your cats, your- your legacy, your home,” he couldn't talk, couldn't breathe, his chest too tight. “You could become a ghost, like Wuya.” 

“Only with Xiaolin magic, and none of the monks have that ability. Dashi was the only one.” Chase took a rattled breath and grabbed Jack's face with a bloody hand. “Listen to me. I have to pass my powers onto you. If I die, the contract over my warrior ceases to exist, and they will die with me. You need to drink the soup,” 

Jack shook his head, shutting his eyes. “I can't-” 

“Jack,” Chase rested his palm against Jack's cheek, red staining alabaster skin. “I need you to. I cannot let my warriors die because of my own foolish actions.” 

A slim cheetah rose to her feet, and Chase groaned when he turned his head to look at her. “No, it will take too long. Jack, you can fly, go. I cannot teleport you.” 

Jack shook his head. “No, no. I can't, you have to come with me.” Jack held Chase to his chest as he staggered to his feet and his helipack opened. “I'm going to help you, yeah? You're going to get better, you're going to be okay, right, Chase?” Jack shook him a little, and Chase closed his eyes with a groan. “Chase?” 

Chase made a faint noise and Jack kicked off, the blades of his helipack hissing at the extra weight. His jetcar hovered, surrounded by Jbots beeping with worry. One settled in the drivers seat as Jack curled around the dying man. 

“Chase,” Jack pushed hair out of Chase's face. “Chase, wake up, c'mon.” A soft groan and his eyes opened to slits. “Who did this to you?” 

Chase's lips barely moved, no sound coming out and he settled his head back against Jack's chest. Jack whined, pressing their foreheads together. “Please, you have to stay with me.” 

A Jbot beeped as the jetcar landed, and Jack hopped out, rushing through the citadel. “You, go look for the Shen Gong Wu. Look for the Golden Tiger Claws. We need- Xiaolin Temple, hurry." Jack was only halfway through the citadel when a bot shoved a golden bowl into his hands. He pushed it back against the bot's metal body with a command to hold onto it, sucking in hiccuping breaths. 

The bot returned with the Golden Tiger claws, it's static voice tearing a hole in reality. Jack fell through the hole, collapsed to his knees, and looked up at the startled faces of the Xiaolin monks. 

“Help,” he croaked, and without another word Raimundo was running. 

Chase made another pained noise and Jack bent over him, cupping his face. “Chase? Chase, please wake up, we're here. At the temple.” 

Chase opened his eyes. “The soup, Jack,” 

“Jack?” Omi's voice sounded so far away, and he was out of focus through the tears blurring Jack's vision. “Jack, what happened?” 

Chase reached up and grabbed a fistful of Jack's hair, pulling him down. “Soup,” he hissed, and Jack fumbled for the bowl in the hands of a Jack-Bot. 

The monk's whispering quieted as Master Fung knelt beside him. He put a hand over Chase's forehead and he sighed. 

Jack went to swat at Master Fung, but the monk caught his hand. “Calm, child. He is not yet gone, I'm only helping clear the fog.” 

Jack clutched Chase's shoulder hard. “Fix him,” 

Master Fung shook his head. “I cannot. His life is in his own hands, now. I'm surprised he's stayed alive as long as he has.” 

“Jack,” Chase's voice was quiet, but he still narrowed yellow eyes at the goth. “If I have to tell you again,” he trailed off with a wince, and Jack nodded. 

“Wait, what-” Raimundo's eyes darted between them, confused. Kimiko gasped and reached out to stop him, but Jack was already ripping the lid off the bowl, gulping down the soup. 

Pain flared through his body and a scream stopped short in his throat. His body burned, a dull roar filling his mind and turning his gritted teeth to points. A hand closed in his hair and Chase jerked him down, pressing their foreheads together. The pain ebbed, his body cooling as magic flowed through him. Chase's shuddering breath was the only sound as Jack's body fought against him. The roaring calmed, the rippling feeling of his skin stopping. Chase's hand tightened in his hair and Jack shook his head, tears dripping onto his face. 

“Chase, please, don't go. Stay,” 

“Wish I could,” Chase's voice was faint, his eyes closing. 

“Please, please. Don't go, Chase. I can't- you need to be here, you have to be here.” Jack's fingers, streaked with red, slid through Chase's hair. “Please, don't, I love you, please don't go.” 

“Take care of my warriors for me,” Chase murmured, his chest heaving, and Jack whined over him. He screwed his eyes shut against the soft stillness of his face and the onslaught of tears. The grip in Jack's hair pulled, only for a moment, before Chase let out a final breath and his hand fell. 

“No, no, no, no.” Jack sat back, pulling Chase against him. His fingers burned as claws tore through, red scales glittering against his skin. “No, Chase, please, please,” 

The monks looked at each other, silent, unsure of what to do. Master Fung reached out and put a hand on Jack's shoulder. “Jack, come inside.” 

He shook his head. 

“There is no more we can do.” 

Jack choked out another sob, holding Chase tight enough to bend the metal of his armor. A warm body pressed against his side and Omi's arms wrapped around him in silent apology. 

Master Fung gently pried at the claws bending Chase's shoulder plates. “Let's get inside. There is a place we can put Chase for the time being. We will give him a proper burial. In the meantime, you must rest. You have gone through a great mental and physical strain. Whatever magic Chase gave you is keeping your now primal side at bay, keeping you human. It likely will not last long.” He stood. 

Glancing down at Chase, Jack nodded, getting to his feet and holding the man tightly against him. He was heavier than before, his limbs dangling, and Jack almost couldn't stand under the weight of it all. He followed Master Fung, the blurry ground turning to worn stone stairs. Master Fung slid the top off a wooden coffin, and Jack hesitated before he put Chase's body in the box. The Xiaolin spoke to him, but it wasn't until a hand pulled him away before Jack realized he was crying again. 

When they got outside, Jack jerked his hand out of Omi's grasp. 

“Jack?” 

“I'm going home,” Jack mumbled, and turned away. The claws were still on the ground, gold streaked with blood that he tried not to look at. 

“Jack, wait-” Kimiko rushed up behind him. “What happened?” 

He shook his head. “I don't know.” 

“Wait-” 

Jack slashed through the air, and his hands met the cold floor of the citadel. Another broken, heavy sob crept up his throat as his mind caught up with the world. 

Chase was dead. 

Jack curled up on the floor, fingers grasping at the smooth marble. 

Chase was gone, just like that. It had happened so fast, without time for Jack to breathe, to help. 

His fingers turned to claws, scoring deep marks in the floor. In the corner of his eyes he saw the warriors creeping in a hesitant circle around him. He could feel their emotions in the back of his head, loud and annoying with worry and fear and confusion. Creatures moved past the citadel, scrambled at the dirt at the base of the mountain. Every living thing in the Land of Nowhere echoed within him, and it was all too much. 

Jack pushed himself to his feet, raised his head to stare down the red-scaled snout at the tense cat, poised to run. 

_Master?_

Jack swiveled his head to find the speaker, and the lion shrank back under his gaze. 

_What do we do?_

The question made Jack pause, gather his garbled senses. He shook his head. 

“I don't know.” His arms shook as whatever thing inside him began to rear it's head, promising carnage and bloodshed. 

_Master._ The lion crept forward, low to the ground to not draw hostile attention. _You are in turmoil. Understandably so._

Jack swiped at the lion, missing him by a hair, and the cat jumped back with a growling shriek. They shrank back from him, cats taking off down the elaborate hallways, the scent of their fear heavy in the room. 

_“Take care of my warriors for me,”_ Chase's final words echoed through Jack's head. The thing, the dragon spat at him, called him foolish and weak. This was _his_ home now, _his_ warriors, and he could do whatever he pleased with them. 

Scratching at the floor, Jack shook his head again. He made a promise, he had to calm down. Had to think, focus. He lay down, curled up to try and ignore the dragon rising up to fight him. The remaining cats curled up around him, their sorrow buzzing through his mind. The dragon hissed and growled, but it was no match for grief. 

He wasn't sure how long he lay there, until a head nudged him in the back and a gravely voice whispered get up, eat. Jack staggered to his feet, human feet, clad in boots streaked with dirt and blood. 

Oh God. 

Jack stared at the red around his nails and on his clothes, the knees of his pants and the straps of his helipack. Tears dripped onto the floor, and his breathing picked up until his chest burned. A warrior began to gently guide him away and he nearly wailed at the gentle caress of fur against his hand. He didn't even know the names of half of the cats, how could he be their ruler? He didn't know how Chase managed, but more than likely the warlord had more of a handle on himself. It wasn't new, it wasn't scary. 

Jack put a hand to his head. He needed some medicine, and a nap. He caught his reflection in the water as he passed by. Blood and eyeliner marked his face, and his goggles sat sideways on his head He looked like a mess. 

“Jack?” Wuya sauntered into the room, a sneer on her lips. “What happened to you?” Jack opened his mouth and she waved her hand. “No, don't tell me, I don't care. Where's Chase?” 

The warrior at his feet growled, and Jack drew in another shuddering breath. “He's dead,” he mumbled. 

Wuya looked up from making a face at the warrior. “Don't mumble, Jack. Speak up.” 

“He's dead!” Jack shouted, and the cats in the room began to form a circle, growling. Jack rubbed at his eyes and tried to send out a mental order. The cats jumped and pulled back, but their tails continued to lash in anger. 

Wuya's mouth dropped, her eyes widening. “What?” 

“He's dead, Wuya.” Shaking his head, he hugged himself. “Shot. Can you fucking believe it? And now I'm-I'm...” 

She came forward, reaching out a hesitant hand. “You drank the soup, didn't you?” 

He flinched at her accusatory tone. “Chase told me to, he- his powers, he gave them to me. He didn't want the cats to die with him.” Jack reached down to scratch the lion's ear and the cat nuzzled his leg. “That's just it, I guess. He's gone, Wuya. Just like that.” 

“Jack, I... I'm sorry.” Wuya said, looking down at the pool of water. “I can't believe it.” 

He nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, me either. I'm, uh, I'm gonna go clean up and figure this out.” 

“So this is us, huh?” Wuya laughed a little. “We gotta go about our lives as normal?” 

The goth shrugged. “I guess.” He walked away before she could say anything else. 

_I don't trust her._ The lion whispered, her voice louder as they moved away from the warriors. _Watch yourself._

“Why? I mean, she seemed upset too.” 

_She never cared about my old Master, only her powers, the ones he held captive. The ones you now hold captive. She will surely use this to her advantage._

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I mean, I don't even know how to give her powers back, even if I wanted to.” 

_Which is even more dangerous._ The lion nudged his leg, guiding him to a large washroom. _We will watch her and you, Master._

Jack sighed took off his goggles, giving his hair a shake. He washed the blood off his face and hands and looked at himself in the mirror. His pupils were slits, his eyes brighter and his canines longer, sharper. His ears tapered to points, the rings in the cartilage awkwardly spaced. He certainly looked the part of a Heylin lord, but he still felt like the same technician who was building robots an hour ago. 

“So I'm just supposed to pick up where Chase left off, huh?” 

_You can do whatever you wish._

“What I wish is for everything to be back the way it was. I wanted to follow in his footsteps but never like this. I didn't even think something like this was possible.” 

_Neither did we, and that is what led to his downfall._

“Don't say it like that!” Jack snapped, and the lion's ears flattened against her head. “You make it sound like- like it was his fault.” 

_I'm sorry._

“Who did it?” 

_Diol says it was a man with hair like maplewood. He smelled of the city, of dark intentions. He came to proposition the old master, and then he pulled out the gun. None of us expected it._

Staring at the floor, Jack let the thoughts roll around his his head. He felt the dragon stirring again, and made a fist to hide the scales beginning to dot his fingers. “Can we track him?” 

_I'm positive we can._

He nodded, pushing away from the sink. The dragon asked for bloodshed and Jack agreed. 

_Master? Do not be hasty._

“I'm not. I'm just gonna to bed. Is there a spare bed somewhere in this place?” 

She nodded and got to her feet. _The old master's room is available to you now, you realize._

“I don't want it.” 

She didn't argue, only led him through the palace to an empty room, save a bed and a small table with a lamp. Jack wearily tapped his watch, ordering his JackBots to begin moving the lab. He stripped his bloody clothes and crawled into bed, shutting his eyes against everything that had happened. 

He didn't sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> [hey, if you like this, you can send me a few bucks over at my paypal!](paypal.me/kotes) i always appreciate it!


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